Flying-machine.



A. F. ZAHM.

FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR.21, 1910.

1,107,231 Patented Aug. 11, 1914,

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ALBERTFRANCIS ZAHH, OF WASHINGTON DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FLYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

Application filed March 21, 1910. Serial No. 550,606.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Athena." FRANCIS ZAi-IM, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing; at Washington, in the District of C0- lumbia, haveinvented certain new and-"useful Improvements in Flying-Machines; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to flying machines andhas forit-s object toprovide such a machine with wing tips or ailerons that willhe adjustablein such a manner as to exert a torque about the longitudinal axis orline of flight of the machine with or without, as may be desired,exerting a resulting torque about its vertical axis.

To these ends the. invention consists in an aeroplane or flying machineprovidedwith a number of lateral balancing planes or lateral rudders,adjustable to any desired angle with respect to each other, yet free toturn together when desired so as to receive an equal impact from the airduring flight and to be in aerodynamical balance about the vertical axisof the machine, together with a device whereby they will exert eitherequal or unequal torqlues about said axis, as may be desired bymt eoperator.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming apart of thisspecification, in which like numerals refer to like parts in all theviews :-Figure l, is a diagramn'iatic eleva- Y tiona'l view ofa wellknown type of machine with my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2,-

is a diagrammatic view showing the ailerons and their connections withthe yoke under the control of the operator; and Fig. 3, is adiagrammatic view of a modified form of the invention.

The numeral 1., in'Fig. 1, indicates any suitable supporting plane belowwhich is placed a similar surface 2 in the type of machine illustrated.The supporting surfaces 1 and 2. are rigidly held together by the rods3, and suitable steering gear, not shown, is also provided.

a indicates a. seat for the operator and 5 a yoke underhis controlcarrying the pulleys 6 and 7, as shown.

Between the ends of the supporting surd faces 1 and 2 are located thebalancing surfaces or ailerons 8 and 9, suitably noted to the standardsas at 10 and 11. hese surfaces may be either curved or plane, preferablythe latter in many cases.

Secured to the aileron 8 as at 12, Fig.

2, is a cord 13 which passes over a pulley 14, thence over the pulley 6,thence over the pulley. 15 and the pulley 16, thence to the aileron 9,to which it is secured as at'17, thence over the pulley 18, and thepulley 7, over the pulley 19, and the pulley 20, and finally back to theaileron 8, as shown.

As is well known, it is now customary initially, in flight, to so adjustthe ailerons that when the machine is flying in balance laterally theywill cleave the air edgewise without exerting any tendency to tilt themachine. lVhen in this position said ailerons are parallel to each otherand are said to occupy their normalor neutral plane. When the lateralbalance is disturbed, however, it is customary to adjust one aileron toa. certain angle'above the neutral or normal plane, and the other to thesame angle below said plane. With the ailerons so adjusted it is evidentthat the impact of the wind on one aileron will have a tendency to liftone side of the .machine, while the impact of the wind on the other willhavefa tendency to depress the other side of the machine. When my imrovement is not employed, however, it 0 ton happens that when theailerons are adjusted at various angles to each other, as describedabove, one of them will from one cause or another, receive a greaterpressure than the other and thereupon'produce a torque about thevertical axis of the machine and thereby tend to turn the machine fromits course. In my invention, on the contrary, the ailerons may be notonly so adjusted as to bring the machine to a lateral balance, but owingto the mech anism employed, the wind ma 7 or may not, as desired, at alltimes be uti ized to cause an equal pressure to be exerted upon eachaileron, no matter what the angle between them may be. And it resultsfrom this action that all disturbing torques about the vertical axis areobviated, or preserved or,

cated. At'the same time, the loop 26 will be pulled in the directionofthe-arrow and they aileron 9 will be forced up. The pressure of the windwill now raise the side of the machine on which the aileron S is locatedand lower the other side back to their balanced positions. At the sametime, it is evident that the pressure of the wind will be equal onthetwo ailerons for the cord 13 and'loop 26 may under such pressure readilymove around their pulleys in directions opposite to that of the arrowsuntil such wind pressures become equal. Of course, a movement of theyoke 5 to the right in Fig. 2,-will raise the aileron 8 above and lowerthe aileron 9 below their normal planes, whereupon the machine will hetilted in an opposite direction and theprcssure' of the air on theailerons will still remain equal. That a torque is produced around thevertical axis of the machine will be apparent in the case of the presentailerons which are not automatically adjustable, if we consider theeffect of a sudden upward or downward -variation of the wind.

than on the other, owing to the variation in the angle of incidence;and, therefore, a disturbing torque is of necessity produced about thevertical axis, which torque is very objectionable in certain cases andmay readily be fatal to successful flights. With my automaticallyadjustable ailerons it is equally clear no such torque can exist, for assoon as one aileron receives a slightly greater pressure than the otherit automatically moves so as to decrease its pressure and causes theother to move so as to increase its pressure until they are in balance.In some cases, however, the operator may desire to obviate or destroythe automaticaction of my ailerons, and to operatethe machine in the oldand well known manner, thereby producingor varying the torque around thevertical axis. hold of the cords 50 and 51 with his hands and suitablymanipulate the ailerons, or he may take hold of the knobs 52 and 53 onsaid cords, or he may fasten one of said cords to the fork 6 or 7. Instill other cases it may be desirable to 'turn both. of the ailerons inthe same direction. In order to accomplish this the operator may simplyhold the yoke stationary and pull on one of the cords 50 or 51. In suchcases the lowcring of both ailerons will cause the machine to suddenlyleap or jump upward in the air.

, and the ailerons may then he considered as set at an indefinitelysmall angle to each. other.

Such variations will produce on one aileron a greater pressure In suchcases, he may take- In the form shown in Fig. 3, the same principles arepresent, but no "cords are used.

Instead of flexible connections, I employ two rods 30 and 31 to whichthe curved ailerons 8' and 9 are rigidly attached, and which rods carrycollars 32 and 33 abutting against the supports 34 and 35'. Each rod isprovided with a pin 36 provided with a circumferential slot 39 in whichplay the prongs 40 of the yoke 5. Itis evident in this form, if theoperator moves the yoke 5 to the left in Fig. 3, the sleeve 38 will,through the cam slots 37 and pins 36 move the aileron 8 down andtheaileron 9 up; and, of course, a reverse motion of the sleeve 38 willreverse the motions of said ailerons. At the same time, after havingmoved the yoke in one direction or another the wind may freely move saidailerons back into such a position that they will receive equalpressures.

It isevident that those' skilled in the art may vary the details ofconstruction and the arrangement of parts without departing from thespirit of my invention, and there fore, I do not wish to be limited tosuch features except as may be required by the claims.

What I claim is 1. In a flying machine, the combination of a pluralityof lateral ailerons; and means for moving the same to different anglesrelatively to each other, comprising means permitting the ailerons to"automatically so adjust themselves under the varying impact of the airas to receive equal pressures, substantially as described.

2. In a flying machine, the combination of a plurality of pivotedlateral ailerons; and flexible means under the control of the operatorfor moving said ailerons to different angles to each other, comprisingmeans permitting said ailerons to automaticallynssume such positionsunder varying impacts of the air that they will receive equal pres;sures, substantially as described.

3. In a flying machine, the combination of a plurality of pivotedlateral ailerons; and flexible means adapted to be moved by the operatorfor adjusting said ailerons to different angles to each other,comprising means permitting said ailerons under the varying of aplurality of lateral ailerons; supports on which the same are pivoted;amovable yoke or lever under the control of the operator; and flexibleconnections between said yoke and said ailerons by which the latter maybe moved-by the operator to any desired angleto each other and by thewind to such an angle as will cause said ailerons to any desired angleto each other and by the wind to such an angle as will cause saidailerons to receive equal pressures; and

means by which the operator may at will destroy said equal pressures andthereupon cause a torque to be exerted around the vertical axis of themachine,.substantially as described.

7. In a flying machine, the combination of a plurality of lateralailerons; means for moving the same into parallelism with each other andto various angles relatively to the wind, comprising means permittingsaid ailerons to later so adjust themselves under the varying impact ofthe air as to receive equal pressures, substantially as described.

8. In a flying machine in combination, a movable balancing surface ateach side thereof; means for simultaneously present? ing and holdingsaid surfaces at opposite angles of incidence; and comprising meanswhereby changes in the direction of the air rush will automaticallyadjust said surfaces to maintain equal angles of incidence.

9. In a flying machine in combination, a movable balancing surface ateach side thereof; a connection between them where'- by movement of oneby the air simultaneously moves the other in the same direction,normally-stationary operating means movable to shift said connection topresent and hold said surfaces at opposite angles of incidence; saidconnection including a coupling with said operating means; allowing saidsurfaces and connection to move at all times substantially as described.

1O. In a flying machine, theicombination of 'a plurality of ailerons andconnections therebetween, said connections including means by which saidailerons are operated automatically to prevent them from exerting atorque about the vertical axis of the machine, and also means by whichsaid ailerons may be so moved as to exert during flight a torque aboutthelongitudinal axis of the machine.

11. In a flying" machine, the combination of a plurality of ailerons,connections there between, said connections including means under thecontrol of the operator for moving the aileronsin opposite directionsto'various angles relatively to the wind, and also means permitting saidailerons to latcrsmautomatically adjust themselves under the var ingimpact of the air as to secure equal pressures. y

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

' ALBERT FRANGI-S' ZAHM. Vitnesse's:

T. N. VVrTHEasPooN, PERCY H. RUssELL.

